Everything is Fine
by thebrokencradle
Summary: The Decepticons have suffered at the hands of Autobot Tyranny. Can Optimus and his old team help them earn their freedom?
1. Chapter 1

AN: This takes place after my fic "Pleasure Model 1516209132119" and takes place after the Decepticons are imprisoned and Optimus becomes Magnus. Rated for some graphic material.

_Everything is fine, fine, fine  
Through the sunshine and the rain  
I got a peace of mind  
You know I can't complain  
I make it a point to thank the Lord  
When I got Him on the line  
I'm feeling good and everything is fine_

_~~ Josh Turner's "Everything is Fine" ~~_

The Stockades stank. They didn't just stink like when a home needed to be clean or when you drove through the mud. No, they stank like the Pit itself, the smells of energon and lubricant mingling with those of slow death and fleeting life, the smell of rust decaying the once powerful Decepticon's and of them stewing in their own fluids as they slowly rotted away.

Shockwave's cell was one of the worst. It was a clean box, usually only used for high security prisoners. Megatron was in a similar box, along with Starscream and his clones, Lugnut, Blitzwing and Swindle. The other mechs were free to move about their cells, except for Shockwave.

Shockwave was held up in his cell by a long pole, his knees spread obscenely wide and his hands bound behind his back, behind the pole, with his interface panel removed to reveal his port and plug. Or what was left of his plug. The thick appendage had long since been mutilated and torn apart, nothing but a mess of limp wires, tubes and hydraulics. His head was tied to the pole as well by a blindfold over his single optic. The thin sheet of his chestplate had long ago been removed to show the thick, twisting tubes of his arteries and veins as they encircled the delicate glass sphere of his spark chamber. The chamber itself was shattered, the pale red glow of his spark flickering in recharge at the moment, but brightening every few seconds.

Shockwave sat in a pool of lubricant, covered in the stuff and barely able to move from the amount caked into his joints.

"Shockwave?" The mech didn't respond and Starscream licked his lips, looking around at the others. They were watching him, waiting for him to get a reaction out of the mech. "Shockwave, please, wake up." Starscream fairly begged, pressing his fingers to the glass of his cell. Shockwave was still, not even twitching. If it weren't for his spark and the glowing of his energon they would have thought him deactivated.

"Starscream, is he going to be alright?" Lugnut asked from his cell, the mammoth Decepticon looking so childish and young. Starscream didn't respond but stood, looking around. There were no cameras in their cells, just at the doors.

"Sunstorm, I need you and the others to cover me." Starscream whispered and the sycophant nodded, obediently and silently looking at Thundercracker. TC stood and suddenly began to loom over Skywarp, whispering softly to the coward. His actions were harsh and intimidating, but his words were gentle and soothing.

"It's arlight, Skywarp, you're going to be alright."

"I'm scared TC…"

"It's fine, you're going to be fine, shhh, shh, I'm here, they won't hurt you while I'm here…"

He cornered the youngest clone and Dirge began to claw at the door, looking around in a paranoid fashion while Ramjet and Sunstorm followed him. Slipstream and Thrust were gone and had been for several hours, they would be back soon and the seekers knew it. Starscream stood on his tip toes, reaching up to the loose air vent above them and wiggling it gently. It finally came free and he pushed it into the ventilation system, clawing his way into it before managing to wriggle himself into the shaft. He had to fold back his wings in a painful way, but determination had made him numb to it.

The decades in the Stockades had made the Decepticon's more atuned to one another, had made parts of their personalities that had laid dormant for millennia emerge in their mutual suffering. Starscream had proven to be the most matronly of the group and the most empathetic, surprisingly, and he would often sneak into the cells of his fellows to comfort them or to help ease their suffering.

Lugnut was one of the largest Decepticons, but surprisingly (next to the clones) he was the youngest, having the mindset of a youngling in the body of a war machine. Starscream could often be found with the large behemoth jet wrapped around his frame, shaking and clicking, Lugnut wanting nothing more than a gentle touch and a warm spark.

Starscream would also sneak into Megatron's cell and allow his leader to merely stroke him and hold him, the mech wanting to make sure that his soldiers were still alive, that they were still tangible beings and not just figments of his imagination.

"Shockwave!" Starscream landed in the cell with a small splash, carefully moving to remove the blindfold. "Shockwave, please, wake up…" The seeker stroked the dimmed red optic and slowly it began to online. Shockwave suddenly began to shudder and whine and Starscream held him to his cockpit, shushing him and stroking his helm and bent antennae.

"H-hurts…" the spy whimpered and Starscream looked down at the mech. His thighs were trembling and trying to clench shut and Starscream knew what must have happened.

"It's alright, it's alright… Nah-nah… Shh… Nah-nah…" Starscream cooed softly, kneeling in the lubricant and reaching down to Shockwave's port. Shockwave choked and sobbed openly when Starscream reached inside and found what was there. It was a small, spiked cylinder with thin thorns at least two mechano-inches thick. Starscream winced as he eased the device out, staring at it before subspacing the item, gently massaging away the pain in Shockwave's port. The mech whimpered and choked before relaxing slowly, slumping in his uncomfortable position. Starscream sighed and stared at Shockwave, the mech having slipped back into forced recharge. He reached up and stroked Shockwave's antler-like antennae before standing up.

"Starscream!" The seeker turned at the shriek from Skywarp, but he was too slow. A fist connected with his face and he was sent flying back into a wall, gasping in pain as he slid onto the lubricant-covered floor.

"How you got out of your cell is a mystery, Decepticon,"

Starscream looked up and saw that the guard was one of the three who had brought back Thrust and Slipstream. The femme looked like she had tangled with a trash compactor and lived while Thrust was shaking and looking like he was about to purge.

"But it will be the last time when we remove your legs."

"No!" Skywarp wailed and Megatron was standing up, looming on the other side of his door. TC had covered Skywarp's mouth and was holding the youngest seeker to his chest, hushing him and stroking his helm as the small coward whimpered and looked on the verge of tears.

"It's alright, Skywarp, it'll be alright." Starscream whispered as he was hauled out of the cell.

"You're delusional if you think it will all be fine." The guard chuckled and he grabbed the seeker and pulled him so that his back was to his chest, Starscream facing his clones.

"It'll be alright, I'll be alright, don't worry, don't worry."

"Starscream!" Megatron called and slammed his side into his small cell, panic clear to Starscream even though anyone else would have seen only rage.

"Leave him alone!" Blitzwing called out as well, having been watching everything silently. He rarely spoke now, but when he did it was in a desperate situation.

"It's alright… It'll all be fine… I'll be fine…" Starscream's optics were offline as the two other guards came over. One of them grabbed Starscream's left leg and jerked it half-way off with one easy pull.

Not many people knew why Starscream was named Starscream. Thundercracker had earned his name because of his sonic booms, Sunstorm because of his pyrokenisis, Skywarp because of his teleportation and Slipstream because of her ability to become intangible. Seekers earned their names due to their special, individual abilities.

Starscream's ability was his voice. Starscream shrieked loudly as his leg was finally jerked completely off, the pitch high enough to cause the cells to rattle and the mechs' audials to give out. The first tug on the second leg sent Starscream's voice up another octave, shaking the metal walls violently.

"What's going on?!" One of the mechs called and Starscream stared at the shuddering ceiling before taking a deep invent and letting out an audial shattering shriek that sent the ceiling coming down.

There was an outraged roar and Starscream saw Megatron rising from the rubble of his cell's ceiling, kicking down the weakened structures of the walls. Blitzwing and Lugnut were doing the same, the guards dazed from the sudden turn of events. Lugnut ran to Shockwave's cell, tearing off the door and grabbing the bound mech, roughly jerking his bonds off and cradling him carefully to his chest. Blitzwing grabbed hold of one of the guards' guns before running to the Seekers' cell, blowing the lock off and ushering the fliers out. Thundercracker picked up Skywarp while Dirge and Ramjet helped Thrust and Sunstorm picked up Slipstream. Megatron grabbed Starscream and his disembodied leg and the Seeker looked up at his leader.

"Mega…"

"Shut up, Starscream." Megatron ordered gently and stroking the Seeker's cockpit soothingly before he turned to the others. "Get as far as you can, if you get out of this hell then find others and get help."

"What if we don't get out?" Lugnut asked and Megatron looked away.

"Then we die Decepticons. We die for freedom from Autobot Tyranny."

The Decepticons nodded and followed their leader, Blitzwing grabbing the two other guns and subspacing one before hoisting the other two, holding them at the ready. There were alarms blaring and guards running through the halls, but the Decepticons managed to avoid them, hiding in shadows and empty cells. They were at the entrance and exit to the Stockades when the door opened and they came face to face with a small group that they hadn't dreamed of seeing again.

There, right before them, stood the Earth Autobots that they had fought for so long. They looked shocked at what they saw, the two longtime enemies silent as they stared at one another before Megatron growled, grabbing Optimus' neck and turning him to slam the smaller mech to his chest, shielding himself and Starscream.

"Try anything and I will kill him." He growled. Prowl, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Ratchet were silent before Ratchet stepped forward.

"We have a ship docked just outside, come on."

"But Doc-bot!"

"Shut up, Bumblebee!" Ratchet shouted and ran over to Sunstorm and Slipstream. "They need medical attention! Now I suggest you get your aft in gear and help me get them to the ship!"

Megatron was shocked but didn't protest. He didn't release his hold on Optimus either, but the mech seemed to take it into stride, allowing himself to be manhandled by the Decepticon leader, telling him which way to turn to get to the ship.

"Decepticons!" Someone shouted and Optimus was whirled around, the other Decepticons hiding behind the shield of Megatron's bulk.

"Shoot and he will die!"

"Magnus!"

"Do as he says." Optimus choked out as Megatron's hand tightened on his neck.

"What are you waiting for?! Shoot!"

"Put down your weapons!" Megatron roared, lifting Optimus and the Magnus choked, optics widening and hands scrabbling at Megatron's thick fingers.

"Shoot!"

The mechs looked conflicted before they obeyed Megatron, dropping their weapons as they watched Megatron back out, the seekers running ahead with Lugnut and Blitzwing close behind. They boarded the ship with no problems and when the hatch closed Megatron dropped Optimus, the mech gasping and choking for breath, turning to see Megatron and the other mechs shoving boxes and crates aside within the Cargo bay, Blitzwing and the Seekers grabbing blankets and tarps and seeming to build an enormous nest. Megatron sat in the center of the nest, Starscream in his lap, and the seekers curled around him, Ratchet and the others watching in fascination as the mechs seemed content to merely sit together, curled like an enormous family of birds or wolves. But what fascinated them all the most was Megatron leaning down to curl around Starscream's body, the seekers trilling and trying to get as close as they could to the magenta and gray seeker.

"He needs to be treated, all of them." Ratchet whispered, his gaze wandering over the group. Not a single one of them had their chest armor or interfacing covers on, they were covered in filth and looked severely depleted on energon. It was a wonder they had fought their way from the Stockades as easily as they had. By all appearances they should have deactivated from exhaustion half-way through.

There was a sudden retching sound and Ratchet turned to see Shockwave purging his tanks, lubricant spilling from his hidden mouth and Lugnut whimpering as he clutched the other Polyhexian liked a doll.

The medic's optics widened in alarm and he ran over, taking no care of the snarls and aggressive actions of the seekers surrounding him as he knelt beside Shockwave. His energon veins were tainted an unhealthy blue from the amount of lubricant tainting his systems.

"I need to get him to medbay and perform an energon transfusion."

"I'll do it." Megatron stated immediately and Ratchet shook his head.

"Your energon is most likely tainted from being in that living Pit, you'll need a transfusion as well."

"Let me." Optimus stated, stepping forward. "He's about my size, and besides…" He stared at the mech. "He'll take better to seeing me when he wakes up than anyone else."

No one questioned the mech as Ratchet nodded and ordered Lugnut to carry the spy to his medbay.

"I'm so sorry, old friend." Optimus whispered when Shockwave was placed on the nearest berth, Lugnut sitting on another one, staring at the older mechs with a wide optic. He looked on the verge of tears and Optimus smiled as Ratchet linked the two mechs up, beginning the transfusion.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: The D-Cons are so OOC it's hilarious, but you'll see a bit of why later on.

Getting Starscream away from Megatron had been entirely too unsuccessful. Finally he and Ratchet had met at a compromise: Megatron could remain in medbay while Ratchet worked on Starscream. Optimus had not left Shockwave's side the entire time, leaving Prowl to man the comm. Links and the bridge, deflecting any of Sentinel's demands by pulling rank over the mech and driving them to a distant asteroid belt and landing on one of the larger asteroids. The seekers were huddled outside of medbay, Skywarp bawling loudly in Thundercracker's arms, clicking and squealing for his creator.

"Skywarp…" Starscream weakly tried to get up but Megatron pushed him back down.

"Later, he'll be fine."

Starscream nodded before allowing himself to go offline.

"I didn't know he cared that much for his clones. He did, after all, use two of them for living bombs." Optimus stated curiously. Megatron fixed him with a stern look.

"Starscream didn't care about those two, but these, these mechs are his life, they are what kept him strong in the Stockades when we all gave up. He treats them like his creations and truly loves them, even though he has a strange way of showing it."

"And you? Do you care for them?" Megatron chuckled.

"They spent much of their time in my spark chamber, Prime, how can I not love them?"

Optimus' jaw dropped and ratchet actually paused in his work to stare at the larger mech.

"you…"

"I was their Carrier, Starscream their Coder, hence why many of them have his sterling personality traits. Their bodies could only be sustained by the allspark for so long. Starscream, while we were in the Stockades, used my spark energy to give them true life."

"You're bonded, then?"

"Yes. But not fully. We both agreed that we did not wish for that devotion to one another."

"Then you do not love him?"

"You Autobots treat love as if it is an emotion that you feel some days and to some mechs but don't feel towards others." Megatron frowned. "Though I admit, I find it only logical. For all your high Autobot morals you do not know the basic foundation of them."

"I wouldn't think a Decepticon would know a thing about love." Ratchet groused and Megatron sneered at the medic.

"Love is not an emotion, emotions are fleeting and untrustworthy. No, love is the way you treat someone; love is when even you are aggravated to the point of murder that you still bring them close and tell them that you love them. In our time in the Stockades I have come to love Starscream and my creations, I respect them, protect them and treat them as I would want to be treated in return. But I do not love Starscream as my bondmate."

"Do you have a bondmate?"

"No." Megatron glanced at the door. "Not yet, anyway…" He murmured. Optimus chose not to push the subject, turning back to Shockwave and sighing, stroking the mech's bland faceplate and single optic tenderly. "What is your connection with Shockwave?"

"He and I lived together for several years when I was first brought online. He was my friend."

"Ahh… So you were the mech in the brothel." Megatron smirked. "Shockwave has told me about your adventures together." Optimus looked slightly alarmed as he stared at Megatron. "Yes, he told me all about the time that you both rigged the lights and the fire sprinkler systems to be reversed."

"I had hoped that would have remained our secret." Optimus sighed and Megatron chuckled.

"In his defense, he never said a name, he always called you his "best friend" and "lover"."

"He… He called me that?" Optimus seemed surprised as he looked at Megatron.

"The only times I had ever heard him say those words."

Optimus blushed and looked down at his servos, lacing his fingers with Shockwave's talons silently. Megatron left the silence be and Ratchet continued his work on Starscream. Megatron glanced over at Lugnut, who was lying on a berth, curled up into a tight ball with his servos pressed to his mouthplates, clicking and cooing softly in recharge mode. Megatron smiled and stood, walking over to the mammoth mech and sitting next to his head, allowing Lugnut to wrap a servo around his waist and cuddle his side.

They sat like that for what seemed like hours, Megatron's optics never leaving Starscream as the seeker was repaired. Finally, Ratchet put his tools down and sighed.

"I've done all I can for him. His systems will take time to adjust to the new leg, but he'll be fine." Megatorn smiled and nodded, thankful despite his silence. "I'll have him moved to a room in a few hours, by then he should be online and stable."

"Thank you, Ratchet." The medic looked surprised.

"I wasn't aware you knew my name."

"Know thy enemy was always a good rule to follow, especially the medic of thy enemy." Megatron stated as he stroked Lugnut's helm.

"Hmph. Well, I guess I'll look over Lugnut while he's there."

"No, you need to rest, me and my soldiers can wait for a while."

"Rest my aft! And since when did you care about my welfare?!"

"You will be useless to us if you work yourself into stasis. None of my men are certified medics. They can do hack-job repairs, but that would only make our conditions worse."

Ratchet grumbled before looking away.

"I'll get Bulkhead to bring in some energon." He murmured and Megatron smirked, knowing a partial victory when it was given. "But I'm still not leaving this medbay until every single one of you has been looked over and repaired!" he stated firmly and Megatron chuckled.

"Of course."

There was a sudden loud "pop" and the mechs all looked slightly panicked at the noise, before they heard the shouts from outside and saw the small black and purple figure huddled by Starscream's berth, Skywarp.

"What the slag-?" Megatron stood and walked over to Skywarp as Ratchet stopped his tirade before it began and he scared off the seeker.

"Skywarp, Starscream is alright now, he's fine."

"He almost died, that was scary…" Skywarp whispered and Megatron nodded.

"Yes, that was very scary, but you know what?" Megatron easily picked up the seeker, holding him tenderly to his chest. "He has a very bad habit of refusing to die."

"I don't want him to die." Skywarp's lower lip trembled and Megatron hushed him gently, stroking his wings soothingly.

"He won't die, Skywarp, he's fine now, just sleeping." Megatron tapped Skywarp's helm reprimandingly. "Which you need to be doing. Go back to TC and the others and get some sleep." He ordered firmly and Skywarp nodded, suddenly vanishing with another loud "pop".

Optimus and Ratchet were stunned to silence as Megatron returned to Lugnut's berth, returning to his previous position as if nothing had happened.

"A teleporter. He has a miniature transwarp gate installed in his chassis. Starscream really is a scientific genius."

And that was the end of THAT conversation.

"Hey, Boss-bot, I thought you guys would want some energon." The small group turned to see Bumblebee walking in, balancing several cubes of energon clumsily. Megatron perked up at the sight of the small yellow bot, watching as Bumblebee handed off a cube to Optimus and Ratchet before carefully approaching Megatron. The younger mech looked shy as he held out a cube with a quivering hand, Megatron smiling as he took the cube and began to drink.

"Thank you." He stated casually and Bumblebee blushed.

"Y-you're welcome?" Bumblebee looked at Lugnut and shuffled. "What's up with him?"

"Oh, he's just tired. He's very young and the Stockades really put a strain on his systems. He hasn't slept well ever since we were imprisoned."

"Young? How young?" Ratchet asked and Megatron paused, thinking about the question. "About ten hundred stellar cycles… Give or take a few years while he was in stasis after first being created. We found him after Polyhexus as a sparkling and reformatted him into a full grown mech. When we crashed on earth he was about seven hundred stellar cycles."

"Wow, he's younger than you, Bumblebee." Optimus stated surprised.

"By a hundred stellar cycles." Ratchet snorted and Bumblebee blushed, turning to leave. Megatron watched the small yellow mech, smirking to himself as he finished his cube.

"Cute…" he murmured once Bumblebee was gone, going unheard by the other mechs in the room.


	3. Chapter 3

When Starscream was discharged he was instantly set upon by his creations. Skywarp had refused to let go of his creator and the others had formed a protective cluster around him. Thrust and Slipstream, being more critical than any of the others, were quickly whisked away into Ratchet's medbay and repaired. Thrust had apparently gotten over being raped so many times and had begun to shamelessly flirt with Ratchet, even going so far as to lean forward and ask:

"Is your name Flecainide? Because I think you just made my Spark skip a beat." Ratchet had whacked the seeker over the head and threatened to weld his mouth shut if he didn't shut up.

That had been the wrong thing to say because Thrust immediately cowered before the medic and Slipstream was on her feet, ready to lunge. Megatron, who had refused to leave the medbay while his soldiers were being repaired, had placed a hand on Slipstream's shoulder, restraining her and telling her to calm down.

"I'm sorry." Ratchet whispered and he reached out to touch Thrust. The seeker flinched away and Ratchet felt his spark go out to the mech.

"In the Stockades, a threat like that would have been carried out." Megatron whispered, fixing Ratchet with a reprimanding stare. "Thrust, Sunstorm and Ramjet were their favorites to threaten and abuse."

Ratchet stared at thrust for a few seconds before he whispered.

"I'm sorry, that was out of line, I should have thought-"

"It's alright…" Thrust whispered meekly, but he didn't go back to his chatty, flirtatious self. Ratchet bowed his head before asking softly,

"Can I work on you?"

"Okay…" Thrust whispered and Ratchet was silent as he returned to working on the Seeker's chassis, Slipstream still tense as she allowed Megatron to place her back on her berth.

Ratchet marveled at Megatron's behavior towards the Seekers. He was their creator – Their Carrier, no less – true, but Ratchet had expected him to treat them the same as when they had been on earth. He had to ask, even though he knew he would regret it later.

"Why do you treat them like that?" Ratchet asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Megatron stared at him silently, asking for clarification. "You're gentle, patient with them and kind to them, even though back on earth you all would have happily killed one another."

"They are my creations, I carried their sparks in my chamber for a stellar cycle, we share a bond that can never be broken, no matter what happens."

"Hmph, I wouldn't have pinned you as a Carrier, that is a submissive position."

"I hardly think that Starscream could have provided the necessary spark matter. The Allspark could provide proper codes and technical details, but not an actual spark. As much as Starscream is aggravating, he was willing to stoop so low as to ask me to help save his creations. That was what earned my respect."

"You love him, but you never bonded with him."

"I could never bond with Starscream, he is not my type."

"So younglings are?" Ratchet murmured and Megatron glared at him momentarily.

"Do not concern yourself with my type, medic." He stated loftily and Ratchet could see a glimpse of the superior Decepticon leader he was familiar with. It was a strange transition, to be sure, but it was one he was sure he could get used to.

"Shockwave?" The mech jumped from where he had been sitting on the berth, staring blankly at the floor. He looked up to see Optimus walking in, the door coding shut behind him.

"O-optimus…" The mech couldn't seem to make eye contact, his gaze wandering around the room and over Optimus' body and face, focusing on one point for a moment before moving away. "I'm sorry, I'm very tired."

"You have a right to be." Optimus sat down next to his old friend. "You almost died a few times… I was worried…"

Shockwave ran a finger over his neck before allowing the slender talon to land on his lap again. He stopped moving and Optimus wondered if he was even there for a few moments.

"I missed you." The mech finally whispered and Optimus felt his spark skip a beat. "I… I always knew… that you would come for me."

"I was surprised, I always thought I would end up the damsel in distress." Optimus joked and Shockwave laughed, for the first time in a long time he really laughed.

"You made a very fetching one when you were."

"I wish I could say the same." Optimus sobered as he reached over and touched Shockwave's hand. "You looked horrible when we first saw you… I… I thought I'd never get to say…" Shockwave looked up at him and Optimus was silent before he whispered. "I think I love you…"

Shockwave stared at him before looking away, his hand moving to cover where his mouth was. It was what he did when he was embarrassed. Optimus smiled, leaning over and resting his chin on the larger mech's shoulder where his tread didn't obscure his reach. Shockwave laced their fingers together before looking over at Optimus, gently squeezing his fingers. Optimus smiled and closed his optics, allowing himself to simply bask in the warmth of his old friend.

Bumblebee walked into the rec room, hoping to be able to find Bulkhead to play some video games. Instead he found Blitzwing playing a video game, much to his amazement. The triple-changer was currently fascinated with the graphics of the earth video game in Random mode. Bumblebee frowned as he saw that Blitzwing looked a bit… Smaller?

"Random?" Bumblebee jumped at the voice and turned to see Blitzwing standing behind him, this one with the Icy face. "Zhere jou are." He sighed, not noticing Bumblebee standing shocked nearby. "Vhat are jou doing?"

"Nozhing…" Random chimed and Icy sighed.

"Random! Ve haf been looking for jou for zhe past hour!" Bumblebee had to blink now because there was no way he was seeing this. Three Blitzwings. THREE!

"I'm sorry, Hothead." Random stood and hugged the largest of the three brothers. "Forgive me, Bruder?"

"I forgive jou, Random."

"Just don't do it again, ja?"

"Alright, jou vant to play vith mich?" The three Blitzwings settled down and Random found out how to add players fairly quickly, giggling as he and his brothers began to play Halo.

Bumblebee blinked before turning to leave, feeling a bit weird. He didn't notice that he had walked directly into something large, solid and warm until he was grabbed about the waist by an enormous hand. He blinked, it was Megatron, the mech looking down at him with concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked and Bumblebee blinked before he straightened and pulled away.

"I'm fine."

"You're shaking." Bumblebee blinked, looking down at his hand and noticing that it was held between Megatron's thumb and forefinger tenderly. And that it was, indeed, shaking.

"Ju-just, too many surprises in the last few days." Megatron frowned before he heard several shouts and a familiar insane laugh. Blitzwings.

"Ahh… I see." Megatron chuckled and looked down at Bumblebee. "Many people find that slightly disturbing about Blitzwing, but after a while you get used to it." Megatron chuckled. "Starscream certainly did."

"Starscream?"

"Starscream has a fancy for Blitzwing, though he hasn't said anything since our imprisonment. I think he believes the clones will scare him off."

"I can understand that, my Coder died and my Carrier remated a few months after and I really wasn't happy about it. I tried to drive him off at every chance."

Megatron chuckled and straightened, releasing Bumblebee's hand.

"Well, I was going to retrieve Skywarp, Thundercracker and Dirge for them to be seen to by Ratchet, would you like to accompany me?"

"Umm… Nah, I'm going to go look go Bulkhead…" Bumblebee awkwardly looked at Megatron before waving nervously. "See you around?" Megatron smiled and nodded.

"You will." He stated before watching Bumblebee walk away. Once the youngling was gone he scowled, feeling jealousy choking his spark. He walked down the hall, finding Starscream's room and knocking on the door.

"Come in." Came a weary voice and Megatron stepped through, peering around the room. He smiled and nodded his approval. The room was large, almost the size of captain's quarters on the Nemesis, and lacked a berth. Instead, Starscream had built what looked to be an enormous nest out of blankets, tarps and broke up pieces of metal furniture. He sat in the center of the nest, wearily looking up at Megatron and smiling as his seekers curled around him like enormous chicks around a mother hen.

"Ratchet wants to look over Warp, TC and Dirge." Starscream looked down at his creations and nodded to where Skywarp lay, squished between Thundercracker and Sunstorm with Dirge on top of Thundercracker, his wings fluttering slightly. Warp's talons were pressed to his lips and TC was possessively clutching him like a doll. Megatron knelt beside his creations and sent gentle pulses through their bond, the seekers clicking and waking slowly, looking up at their Carrier. Megatron smiled as he picked up Skywarp, the youngest clone rubbing his optics sleepily and falling back into recharge in his Carrier's arms. Thundercracker climbed onto Megatron's shoulders, dislodging his sibling and settling contentedly on megatron's back. Dirge instantly clung to Megatron's waist, wedging his head underneath the mech's arm and murmuring a sleepy "Mine".

Megatron sighed but smiled as he walked through the halls with the three seekers clinging to him, the medbay door sliding open when he approached. Ratchet looked up from where he had been resting and blinked in surprise.

"They're very clingy…" Ratchet murmured and Megatron shrugged, placing his younglings onto the berths, Thundercracker lazily watching Ratchet from where he lay.

"I would have walked, but I didn't feel like it." He murmured before slipping back into recharge. Ratchet shook his head sadly.

"Did they never recharge?"

"No one could recharge safely in the Stockades, and after Black Arachnia and Soundwave were deactivated, even when they did recharge it was restless." Megatron sighed and sat on another berth, watching Ratchet work on Skywarp.

"What happened to them?" Ratchet asked and Megatron looked away.

"Black Arachnia was dissected by scientists… Soundwave went mad and committed suicide by guard."

Ratchet was silent as he worked before he whispered:

"I'm sorry, really I am."

"What is in the past has past. We can only hope for a better future."

"That's all the Decepticons ever wanted, wasn't it? A better life?"

"In the beginning the Decepticons petitioned the elite, then we gave peaceful protests. We never wanted a war, but if that was what it took for the Autobots to listen we were willing to begin one." Megatron sighed. "We are willing to start it again, should we not be given the basic rights that every Autobot is given. We wish for equality, not devestation."

"Optimus is Magnus now, he will make sure that you are given your rights." Ratchet stated firmly. He knew that Optimus wouldn't allow this to go unpunished.


	4. Chapter 4

Cybertron was moving hurriedly, mechs everywhere needing to get to someplace or other, sparing glances at the advertising billboards and shop screens every so often. One mech was peering at a screen advertising a new solvent when the feed suddenly cut out. All of the city's screens cut off and mechs and femmes paused in what they were doing to watch. The screens flickered with static for a few moments before it cleared and focused on the face of Optimus Magnus, the mech looking solemn and sad as he stared at the screen.

"_When I became Magnus I knew that every surviving Decepticon was placed within the Stockades by the will of the council under the pretense of "War Crimes" or being "Public Enemies". Me and a small group of mechs recently went to the Stockades, nearly a dozen Stellar Cycles after the imprisonment of the Decepticons, and became accessories to the crime of a jailbreak. During this event most of the Decepticon high command escaped, including Megatron, Blitzwing, Lugnut, Shockwave, Starscream and all of his seeker clones. Swindle's body was later recovered by guards at the scene of their imprisonment."_

_Optimus cycled an intake and continued, trying to keep his voice from shaking._

"_The Decepticons have been residing on my personal ship the "Ark" for the past four weeks and what we have learned from our time together is truly horrifying. I send this video feed to the Autobot High Council and Cybertron as live evidence to the crimes that have been committed by Autobots. I order every mech watching this to listen carefully and know that this is what the Autobots have become."_

_The feed cut momentarily before the face of Starscream appeared on screen. His name and stats appeared on the side of the screen and he looked nervously to the side._

"_Go ahead, Starscream, tell them."Prowl's voice sounded from somewhere off screen. The seeker nodded before looking at the screen and standing up straight. "What is your designation?"_

"_Decepticon Air Commander and Second-In-Command Starscream of Vos." He stated confidently._

"_What is your age?"_

"_Thirty-seven thousand Stellar Cycles*."_

"_And how long were you in the Stockades?"_

"_Ten Stellar Cycles."_

"_What happened while you were in the Stockades." Starscream's confident air wavered and he cleared his vocaliser before speaking again._

"_I… I was deactivated when I first arrived at the Stockades… I was given a nuclear fusion core to substitute for a spark and placed in the Stockades with my Creations."_

"_Your clones?" Prowl confirmed and Starscream nodded._

"_My clones… Thundercracker, Slipstream, Acidstorm, Sunstorm, Thrust, Dirge, Ramjet and Skywarp."_

"_You only have seven clones now, what happened to the eighth?"_

_Starscream froze and his vocaliser let out a keen of static before he composed himself._

"_A-acidstorm was… offlined… While in the Stockades…"_

"_What happened, Starscream? Tell them."_

"_I… I had attempted to assault a guard when we were given our rations for the week, less than twenty mechano-ounces of Energon each. The Guard had been acting inappropriately with Skywarp, my sparkling, and… I had slapped him and tried to shove him out of the cell… He grabbed Acidstorm and dragged him out of the cell, locking me inside with my other clones, and had proceeded to… he…" Starscream choked and looked away. "He tore off his limbs… One at a time… Starting with his wings and ending with his head… For several weeks he left the head mounted on the wall across from my cell."_

_Starscream composed himself._

"_I'm sorry… I'll continue."_

"_Take your time." Prowl whispered gently and Starscream nodded, taking a deep invent before straightening and continuing._

"_During our imprisonment I discovered that the airvents in our cells were weak and I could fit within them if I pulled back my wings – they had removed any battle-armor on our frames so we were much smaller and easier to dominate. I would climb through the vents to help my fellow Decepticons whenever the guards left from "interrogating" us or punishing us for alleged misdeeds."_

"_Shockwave was a favorite of the Guards. They would tie him to a pole installed in the center of his cell and force him to service them while placing strange devices inside his port. I have…" Starscream reached into his subspace and rummaged around before pulling out the spiked cylinder from it and holding it up for the camera. "I pulled this out of him before we escaped. I was caught assisting him and promptly beaten before having one of my legs ripped off and the other leg partially torn off as well."_

"_Thank you, Starscream." Starscream nodded and turned away as the camera shut off._

Mechs all across Cybertron stared at the advertising screens and televisions, not believing what they were seeing.

In the Elite Towers Sentinel Prime snarled at his secretary.

"Turn that propaganda off!" He ordered and the mech trembled.

"But sir, the codes for turning it off are held only by Optimus Magnus."

"Well find him and get him to turn it off!" Sentinel roared.

"But, sir-"

"Do it!"

AN:

*About the equivalent of a 37 year old Human.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Everything is Fine 5**_

The Screens remained the same for about a day before they flickered back to darkness. This time, mechs and femmes crowded to the screens, morbid curiosity fueling them to see what was to come.

This time Blitzwing's Icy face filled the screen and Prowl prompted him to speak while his stats scrolled across the screen.

"Your Designation?"

"Aerial Tactician, Ground Assault Commander und Chief Saboteur Blitzving."

"What is your age?"

Suddenly Blitzwing split apart, the mech forming thee forms. Icy looked at the Screen.

"Tventy-four zhousand stellar cycles." He stated calmly. Hothead nodded.

"Thrity zhousand stellar cycles." He then looked at Random.

"Seventeen zhousand stellar cycles." Random chirruped, grinning widely before they merged again, Icy's face dominating the screen once more.

"What happened while you were in the Stockades?"

"Ve vere kept in a cell and forced to remain merged, if ve separated in an attempt to comfort one anozher ve vere beaten. Violently."

"What did they do?"

Hothead spun into view.

"I do not vant to talk about it-" The faceplate spun again and Random began bawling.

"Because it hurts vhenever ve haf to remember!"

"You need to talk about it, Blitzwing." Prowl calmly prompted and Random spun to Icy.

"Very vell." He settled and sighed. "Zhey vould take us out of our cell und tie us to zhe ceiling vizh our arms above our heads und our legs spread apart." Icy was trying to keep from switching but his shaking was visible. "Ve vould zhen be stripped of our armor und zhe guard vould take an electro vhip or prod und beat us. Ve vould be beaten one at a time until our entire protoform bled. Sometimes zhey vould take zhe prod und shove it into our port until it touched our fuel tanks und slowly crank up zhe settings until zhey vould go no higher."

"What was the highest setting, Blitzwing?" Prowl asked, and Icy flinched.

"Seven zhousand megavolts."

"A less resilient mech could die from that." Prowl whispered and Icy nodded silently, his face spinning to Random.

"I vant to stop nov…" He whimpered.

"It's alright, Random." Prowl whispered softly just as the young mech began to sob brokenly. Prowl stood and walked around the table the entire city watching as the dark mech pulled the young mech to his chest, stroking his helm gently as he cried. "Bulkhead, cut the feed." Prowl whispered and the screens across the city turned to static.

Back on the Ark Blitzwing was still sobbing softly as Prowl and Bulkhead took him to the Seeker's nesting room. The numerous clones and Starscream immediately greeted him and Blitzwing curled into Starscream's arms, the mech shushing him gently and stroking his helm.

"Shh… It's alright, Blitzwing… we're safe now… Optimus and Megatron will fix it all."

"It still hurts to zhink about." Blitzwing whispered.

"It will fade, it will fade." Starscream slowly rocked Blitzwing and his clones gathered near as he began to sing softly, his voice echoing hollowly around the entire Ark as the various mechs pondered in silence Blitzwing's story.

"Hush little mechling,

Don't say a word,

Coder's gonna buy you a petrobird…

And if that petrobird won't sing

Coder's gonna buy you a platinum ring…

And if that platinum ring is brass

Coder's gonna buy you a drinking glass…

And if that drinking glass gets broke

Coder's gonna buy you an energon float…

And if that energon float is stale

Coder's gonna buy you a sponge and pail…

And if that sponge and pail won't shine

You'll still be the sweetest little mechling of mine…"


End file.
